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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28750077">and when they sing it (you can't help but sing along)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulsolid/pseuds/soulsolid'>soulsolid</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of The Brave Tangled Dragons - Fandom, Rise of the Guardians (2012), Tangled (2010)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen, Prompt Fill, crappy indie band au, idk man im just throwing headcanons together at this point, thats it thats the fic, the big four is a band</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:40:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,595</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28750077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulsolid/pseuds/soulsolid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The lights flashed from red to green to yellow to blue. The band was approaching the final chorus. Rapunzel lifted a hand as the song neared its crescendo, hyping up the crowd, voice solidifying like gathered honey as she sang the powerful bridge one last time. The band rose to meet her, and together they built up the note into something incredible and mystical that  Astrid felt goosebumps rise on her arms; an awed tingle down her spine.</p>
<p>Around her, the audience whooped and screamed. Spellbound.</p>
<p><i>This is it,</i> she thought, her eyes never leaving the stage. <i>This is it.</i></p>
<p>- </p>
<p>(or: in which Astrid discovered her new favorite band.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hiccup Haddock III &amp; Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood) &amp; Merida (Disney) &amp; Rapunzel (Disney), Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Astrid Hofferson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>and when they sing it (you can't help but sing along)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a flower prompts fill for big-fat-bi on tumblr, who asked for Hiccup, Jack, Merida and Rapunzel with the flower “Kingcup” <i>(youth, innocence, dawn).</i> Enjoy!</p>
<p>EDIT: now with a playlist for the general vibe of the band's EP, which can be found <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/420xSurXNNdVmLr1G8NWcZ">here!</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been mostly coincidence, really, that led Astrid to discover them.</p>
<p>They were an up-and-coming indie band that’d been around for about a year. They had been slowly conquering every platform available to them by then, and was currently at the precipice of becoming something bigger; a promise that can be found in the small live shows featured in the local papers, between the line up of the TV-advertised indie festival near her area—all the way to her own screen, sitting under “The Edge Live Sessions” Youtube search result with an impressive one point six million views and counting. </p>
<p>That video in particular was what introduced her to them; an accidental autoplay that she opted out of exiting once she heard them play the first note.</p>
<p>It had been one of those late nights where she wanted to play something angry and sad, some angsty music with barely discernible lyrics that she could vicariously listen to. She was just finishing her rounds on the usual punk rock music when, without her knowing, the app had automatically switched on a new video, one listed under The Edge Magazine’s channel for up-and-coming indie artists. The act, frankly, looked like something Astrid wouldn’t spare a glance at even during her brightest moods. When their rendition of Mr. Blue Sky started playing, however, the singer’s voice had made her pause, and before she knew it, Astrid spent the next five minutes standing in the middle of her kitchen, listening to the slow build up from soothing to straight up cheerful in a trance until the band switched to another song; her chest feeling lighter at the end of it. The rest of the clip was just as good.</p>
<p>She’d kept coming back to the video for three days straight before finally succumbing to track down more of the band’s stuff, hungry for more than just old band covers with one original song tacked near the end. The result on Spotify was, frankly, disappointing: so far, they only had one EP out. It seemed like they’ve been playing for fun, and only started to present themselves as a serious musical act some time last year, followed by a contract under M.O.O.N. Records—which seemed to have very negligent management, if the lack of promoting was any indication.</p>
<p>It was unusual for her to be this greedy for content, but God, they’d sounded <em>so good.</em> She needed at least one full album to go through on her hands instead of five songs that together didn’t even make it to the fifteen minutes mark. She barely knew these people and she already wanted more from them.</p>
<p>She still went through the debut EP, of course. Painstakingly so. It’s upbeat and bright, with a lot of holiday cheer at the end, and while it did sound far better than what had passed for pop on the radio these days, the tracklist felt a little like a collection of songs that shouldn’t be in the same record, confusing her on the first listen. It gradually sounded better the more she listened to it, though, and by then Astrid had already decided on two favorite tracks that she’d constantly put on loop.</p>
<p>The first one was the intro, a short one minute and a half instrumental that was so soft it reminded her of the mornings when she was still a kid, waking up early and turning over to the cold side of the pillow to see the first light hit the snowbed outside the windows, casting gentle blue shadows over the white frost; tugging something nostalgic in her heartstrings.</p>
<p>Her second favorite was their Mr. Sandman cover, especially the solo bass part that was so goddamn smooth it ironically jerked her awake the first time she listened to it, a combination of awe at the golden flow and almost-anger at how ridiculously good their bass player was. Astrid played a little bass for her friend group’s garage band throughout her last two years in high school, and she had to admit, her younger self would’ve been a lot more excessive with the praise.</p>
<p>Even though most of their stuff was decidedly far from her usual grungy, punk-rock taste, it wasn’t difficult to get into their music and appreciate the intricate balance of their arrangement, each instrument playing their parts without outshining the others. And man, the singer’s <em>vocals.</em> The other members’ <em>harmonies.</em> She could listen to them on repeat for days.</p>
<p>By the end of the week, she couldn’t even deny it anymore: she had become a fan.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>Toothfairy EP tracklist:</strong>
</p>
<p><em>Intro</em> - 01:31<br/>
<em>Toothfairy</em> - 03:12<br/>
<em>Mr. Sandman (The Chordette’s Cover)</em> - 02:24<br/>
<em>Giant Bunny Foo Foo</em> - 03:26<br/>
<em>It’s Always Christmas in the North Poles</em> - 04:03</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>It was exactly three months later, when the group finally dropped an album, that Astrid found herself in big trouble.</p>
<p>She had pre-ordered the physical album online, and the day it finally arrived, she decided to listen to the CD on her way to work, intent on playing half of it and then listening to the rest once she got home, where she can also put each song on repeat to pick apart the sound and lyrics. The plan fell apart when, in the first ten seconds after she hit play, it immediately dawned on her that they’re trying on an entirely new genre. <em>Her</em> genre. It completely tore apart her determination to set the music aside when she arrived to work, and Astrid ended up spending an extra twenty minutes in the parking lot to listen to the entire album, which was a total of ten songs and over forty minutes long.</p>
<p>Unsurprisingly, they sounded good doing it. Really, <em>really</em> good.</p>
<p>The first song was a good introduction to what the rest of the album had in store for her, and it came on strong. It was loud and abrasive, almost angry, the intro carried by the booming sound of bagpipes before a sharp electric guitar cut through the entire thing. A female voice belted out above it all, strong like a sunburst, completing the package. It sounded exactly like something her fifteen year old self would love to blast on her earphones, back in the day when she was young and ambitious, stiff and angry at the world for not giving her hard work their dues. Astrid listened hungrily to the very last notes, letting the words seep into her bones before reaching to her passenger seat for the lyrics pamphlet. The track info was printed below the lyrics in neat letters:</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Written By:</strong> Merida DunBroch &amp; Jackson Frost<br/>
<strong>Vocals:</strong> Rapunzel Von Der Sonne<br/>
<strong>Backing Vocals: </strong>Merida DunBroch, Jackson Frost &amp; Heidrick H. Haddock<br/>
<strong>Mixing: </strong>Heidrick H. Haddock<br/>
<strong>Drums: </strong>Rapunzel Von Der Sonne<br/>
<strong>Guitars: </strong>Merida DunBroch<br/>
<strong>Bass: </strong>Heidrick H. Haddock<br/>
<strong>Keyboard: </strong>Jackson Frost</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Astrid skimmed at the individuals’ names, planting them in her mind, before eagerly starting the next track.</p>
<p>The album, overall, was a masterpiece. It’s more experimental than what they usually sounded, with a lot of orchestral and rock influences woven through the instrumentals. The only constant throughout the tracks was the thrumming bassline, followed closely by a keening whine of electric guitar and an energetic drum beat that knocked the breath out of her. They had zero bad songs.</p>
<p>‘Test Drive’, the second to the last song, was her instant favorite. As part of the latter half of the album, the song carried a more optimistic tone, less dark and more hopeful. It sounded like they recorded this one in front of a live orchestra, with almost no lyrics except for a male voice singing at the very end. It completely blew Astrid away, the dramatic string section snagging at something inside her chest, almost primal.</p>
<p>The male voice was new, one she wasn’t sure she had heard in any of the band’s other tracks. All of their songs so far had been sung by the female drummer, which she’s starting to suspect was also their frontman. He certainly didn’t have the wide range the usual singer had, but there was a raw, raspy quality in his voice that fitted the song like a glove. Astrid checked the pamphlet once again to see who’s responsible for it, expecting to see a featuring, but instead found the same name again. The plastic paper under the words caught the noon sunlight, reflecting it back at her and making her squint.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Written By: </strong>Heidrick H. Haddock<strong><br/>
Vocals: </strong>Heidrick H. Haddock.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s that damn bassist again.</p>
<p>Huffing, Astrid tossed the paper onto the top of her dashboard and looked at the time. There’s still ten minutes left before she was considered late for work. After staring at the paused CD player, Astrid finally crumbled and hit the replay button; mentally gearing herself up to hear that voice once again.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>If Astrid were to answer <em> why, </em>why this band in particular—it’s because their music had struck a chord in her. </p>
<p>All of their songs felt indulgent and nostalgic, even down to their darkest, angriest tracks. There’s an emerging theme in their newest album that she couldn’t help but notice and appreciate: a sense of celebrating adolescence, of looking back at the more innocent days when you were just at the cusp of adulthood, and there’s just something in the way they explored the uncertainty and the naive hopefulness of those times that hit a little too close to home. Before long, their songs had become a source of comfort for Astrid, one she’d listen to during her bad days, when she’s homesick and missing the Old Berk she grew up in.</p>
<p>(There’s also the tiny little fact that she’s torn between being jealous and intrigued at the bassist for living her high school self’s dream, but that’s neither here nor there.)</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>When the announcement of the concert came, Astrid grabbed at the opportunity to see them live with both hands. The performance was scheduled in the next town over, the indoor venue a medium-sized ballroom with no balconies nor chairs. Astrid had dragged Heather along for the ride, making her and the dark haired girl two among the three hundred people who came to fill the dimly-lit space.</p>
<p>The show had begun with Jack, the keyboardist, playing MC and introducing his bandmates one by one as he played what Astrid recognized as the intro of their debut EP. He’s a great crowd pleaser, cracking jokes with them amidst the introduction, and with his deep voice and slow, easy smile, fingers flying over the keys as if it’s nothing, Astrid could finally see the irresistible charm so many fans had been spouting about.</p>
<p>That, however, was over two hours ago.</p>
<p>Astrid was now standing in the middle of the crowd, at the center of many writhing and jumping bodies, swaying along with the music and once again helplessly, hopelessly <em>impressed.</em> They sounded fantastic live, even better than the recording.</p>
<p>Someone else—Heidrick’s cousin, if the earlier introduction was to be believed—was currently manning the drums, keeping the simple beat going, leaving Rapunzel free to stand out front and sing her heart out onto the mic. The stage lights behind the band crowned her with a golden halo around her head; a magical trick of light from the elevated platform. The guitarist, Merida, casually joined her side and added ad-libs on top of the original guitar solo, fingers playing over the fretboard like she’s one with the instrument; her hair glowing like embers amidst the half-darkness of the room. Behind them, Jack sat with the keyboard, almost invisible but persistently <em>there,</em> notes weaving through the music and making the band sound full.</p>
<p>Astrid’s gaze, however, stayed off the side, slightly away from the backlit area of the stage. There, Heidrick the bassist stood, eyes half closed and completely focused on the music. Astrid could feel the bassline’s growl reverberating deep in her chest, pulling her heart to pound in rhythm with the music, as if he’s playing with her pulse instead of the strings.</p>
<p>The lights flashed from red to green to yellow to blue. The band was approaching the final chorus. Rapunzel lifted a hand as the song neared its crescendo, hyping up the crowd, voice solidifying like gathered honey as she sang the powerful bridge one last time. The band rose to meet her, and together they built up the note into something incredible and mystical that Astrid felt goosebumps rise on her arms; an awed tingle down her spine.</p>
<p>Around her, the audience whooped and screamed. Spellbound.</p>
<p><em>This is it,</em> she thought, her eyes never leaving the stage. <em>This is it.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>—It was at that moment, then, when it happened.</p>
<p>Heidrick looked up, coal-brown fringe falling just over his eyes, and caught her gaze from atop the stage. It could only be a few seconds, but it’s enough: something in her stomach swooped, caught off guard. And then, before she could respond with anything, or even check if he’s really looking, the music crashed back in, and the eye contact broke.</p>
<p>Heidrick’s fingers missed the next note.</p>
<p>It’s a mistake he quickly covered up in lightning speed, but it’s obvious for anyone who’s been listening intently that he just slipped. His bandmates seemed to have caught on as well, because Jack’s muffled laughter could be heard from one of the mics; the sound almost inaudible underneath all the music. Heidrick quickly looked away from the crowd, looking slightly flustered.</p>
<p>Astrid swallowed, hard. <em>What the hell was that?</em></p>
<p>After that, the rest of the concert passed by her in a blur. She’d seemed to lose the ability to even glance at him, and so opted to focus on the other three band members—which was harder than it sounded. She only managed to get into the music again during the last ten minutes, and by then, the band had invited the crowd to the last singalong of the night.</p>
<p>When the band finally bowed to the thunderous sound of numerous applause and cheers, Astrid had gathered enough courage to steal one last look at the bassist, who’s the last one to leave the stage.</p>
<p>Sweat-slicked and basking in the tail end of the concert’s euphoric closing segment, he almost looked like a king surveying his kingdom. However, something in his demeanor changed once his eyes locked with hers and stayed. Astrid’s eyebrows jumped, instincts to challenge finally kicking in, but he didn’t do anything except offered her a nervous, close-lipped smile, the tilt of his head questioning.</p>
<p>
  <em> Was that good enough? </em>
</p>
<p>Struck by the silent question, she nodded wordlessly. </p>
<p>
  <em> Yes. </em>
</p>
<p>The smile dissolved into a relieved one, goofier and more relaxed, looking nothing like the commanding presence that had hypnotized her a few moments ago on stage. The normalcy of it all staggered Astrid.</p>
<p>Someone seemed to call for him, then, and for the second time that night they broke eye contact; Heidrick jerking back in surprise and turning around to stumble his way to the backstage. Out of sight.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hey, show’s over,” Heather, who’d been instantly turned into a fan after the first song and had joined the dancing crowd somewhere during the night, came back and nudged at her shoulder. “You feeling okay? Your face is kinda red.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine,” Astrid quipped, and stepped out first to the parking lot where her car was waiting, the image of light green eyes amidst the thumping dark haunting her all the way to her seat. She rested her head against the wheels, and breathed.<strong><br/>
</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yeah, she’s in big, big trouble.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is terribly rushed, and I feel like I low key cheated on this prompt by bringing in my personal band au headcanons into the mix... nevertheless, I hope you enjoyed the read just as much as I do writing it :) any comment/concrit is welcome, as always &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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